Photos
HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/8/09) - The Colgate women’s soccer team claimed their league-best 11th Patriot League Championship on Sunday afternoon defeating American University 1-0 in the final minutes of double-overtime. The Raiders were crowned both the regular season and tournament champions for the first time since 2004.
Sophomore Monica Jensen (Boxborough, Mass.) scored her first collegiate goal to push the Raiders to victory in the 108th minute of play, preventing the game from being decided on penalty kicks.
In a very evenly matched game, both teams had opportunities to score within regulation time, but American’s Arianna Efstathiou and Colgate’s Ashley Walsh (Cicero, N.Y.) both had an excellent performance in goal to send the game into extra sessions. Walsh recorded four saves for the win while Efstathiou made three.
The Raiders best opportunity to score in regulation time came with about six minutes remaining in the second half. Freshman Jillian Kinter (Newburyport, Mass.) first got around her American defender which drew out Efstathiou looking to prevent a shot on goal. Kinter was able to play the ball away from and around the Eagles’ keeper, leaving her with an open net. In her effort to play the ball away from the goalie however, the rookie pushed it a bit to far down up the field and wasn’t able to track the ball down in time to get a off a good shot before Efstathiou recovered.
Kelsey Brasher led American offensively, taking seven shots in the game, including two overtime attempts. In the first overtime her shot went just high but in the second extra session she was able to direct her shot on goal. Walsh made the key save for Colgate, five minutes into the second overtime to keep the Eagles scoreless.
Jensen would score the game-winning goal just three minutes later as her shot from about 20 yards out was able to slip past the American defenders and into the near corner of the net.
Colgate named four players to the All-Tournament team, while American sent three. Seniors Liz Polido (Stow, Mass.) and Jillian Arnault (Clay, N.Y.) were joined by junior defender Calista Victor (Seattle, Wash.) and Walsh for the Raiders’ honorees. Arnault, who had a great shot on goal in the second overtime session going one-on-one with the goalie after getting around five defenders, was also named the Tournament MVP.
Efstathiou, Brasher and Michelle Montilio represented American on the All-Tournament team, while Navy’s Kelsey Learned and Brittany White and Bucknell’s Amanda Citron and Kayla Yee rounded out the top tournament players.
Colgate, which is on a seven game win streak, will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time. The Raiders will find out their opponent during the Tournament selection show tomorrow. Fans can watch the selections and pairings announced on ESPNews at 8 p.m.